Indiana Code 32-17-14-11. Transfer on death deeds
(1) executed by the owner or owner’s legal representative; and
Terms Used In Indiana Code 32-17-14-11
- Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
- Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
- Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
- Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.
- Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
- Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- real property: include lands, tenements, and hereditaments. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
- Tenancy in common: A type of property ownership in which two or more individuals have an undivided interest in property. At the death of one tenant in common, his (her) fractional percentage of ownership in the property passes to the decedent
(b) A transfer on death deed is void if it is not recorded with the recorder of deeds in the county in which the real property is situated before the death of the owner.
(c) A transfer on death deed is not required to be supported by consideration or delivered to the grantee beneficiary.
(d) A transfer on death deed may be used to transfer an interest in real property to either a revocable or an irrevocable trust.
(e) If the owner records a transfer on death deed, the effect of the recording the transfer on death deed is determined as follows:
(1) If the owner’s interest in the real property is as a tenant by the entirety, the conveyance is inoperable and void unless the other spouse joins in the conveyance.
(2) If the owner’s interest in the real property is as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship, the conveyance severs the joint tenancy and the cotenancy becomes a tenancy in common.
(3) If the owner’s interest in the real property is as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship and the property is subject to a beneficiary designation, a conveyance of any joint owner’s interest has no effect on the original beneficiary designation for the nonsevering joint tenant.
(4) If the owner’s interest is as a tenant in common, the owner’s interest passes to the beneficiary as a transfer on death transfer.
(5) If the owner’s interest is a life estate determined by the owner’s life, the conveyance is inoperable and void.
(6) If the owner’s interest is any other interest, the interest passes in accordance with this chapter and the terms and conditions of the conveyance establishing the interest. If a conflict exists between the conveyance establishing the interest and this chapter, the terms and conditions of the conveyance establishing the interest prevail.
(f) A beneficiary designation in a transfer on death deed may be worded in substance as “(insert owner’s name) conveys and warrants (or quitclaims) to (insert owner’s name), TOD to (insert beneficiary’s name)”. This example is not intended to be exhaustive.
(g) A transfer on death deed using the phrase “pay on death to” or the abbreviation “POD” may not be construed to require the liquidation of the real property being transferred.
(h) This section does not preclude other methods of conveying real property that are permitted by law and have the effect of postponing enjoyment of an interest in real property until after the death of the owner. This section applies only to transfer on death deeds and does not invalidate any deed that is otherwise effective by law to convey title to the interest and estates provided in the deed.
(i) The endorsement of the county auditor under IC 36-2-11-14 and IC 36-2-9-18 is necessary to record a transfer on death deed under this section.
(j) For a transfer on death deed executed after December 31, 2024, the transfer on death deed may include the following warning:
“WARNING: After the death of the owner, the owner’s insurance policy is required by IC 27-1-13-18 to cover the real property transferred for a period of time as set forth in IC 27-1-13-18(e) and IC 27-1-13-18(f). Once the period of time as set forth in IC 27-1-13-18(e) and IC 27-1-13-18(f) expires, the insurance policy may no longer cover the real property and the beneficiary of a transfer on death deed and the real property may become uninsured.”.
A transfer on death deed is not invalid due to the failure to include the warning described in this subsection, or due to a defect in the wording of the warning described in this subsection.
As added by P.L.143-2009, SEC.41. Amended by P.L.6-2010, SEC.30; P.L.36-2011, SEC.13; P.L.2-2024, SEC.2; P.L.99-2024, SEC.19.